New England Patriots: 2017 Could Be Draft First of Belichick Era
By Erik Lambert
The New England Patriots like to think they’re not predictable, but the truth is they’ve been an organization modeled in consistency.
It’s true of how they operate in free agency and especially the draft. Throughout their time under Bill Belichick, the team has targeted offensive line or defensive front seven almost exclusively in the first round. Defensive backs become a priority in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, owing to the teams’ long-standing tradition of producing quality players in the secondary. Not just under this regime but previous ones as well.
However, the Patriots are in danger of venturing into uncharted territory this 2017 offseason. Throughout the past 17 years that Belichick has been in charge, New England has always had a 1st or 2nd round pick to spend in the draft. If things remain as they are, this year will mark the first time that won’t be the case. Thanks to trades with New Orleans (Brandin Cooks) and Carolina (Kony Ealy), the Patriots will not be on the clock until the 72nd pick of the 3rd round.
One More Round
Of course this doesn’t mean it will stay that way. The Patriots still could end up trading QB Jimmy Garoppolo or even cornerback Malcolm Butler. There is a month to go before the draft. If they desire to secure high picks, they have ammunition to make it happen. Thus far though they seem unwilling to part with it. More than ever it appears the team is donning a win-now approach. No surprise given Tom Brady will celebrate his 40th birthday this year.
Still, history shows it’s difficult to have a productive draft without at least one pick in the top two rounds. Nobody doubts the Patriots might be able to pull something off, but even they aren’t made of magic. It seems like they are leaning heavily on their bold trade maneuvers to infuse the roster with enough juice for another run.